The Empire Strikes Back

The New York Yankees have signed Japan’s best pitcher Masahiro Tanaka to a seven year, $155 million contract. Last season Tanaka broke Japanese League records, going 24-0 with a 1.27 ERA. He also had a WHIP (Walk and Hits per Innings Pitched) of only 0.94 and strikeout to walk ratio of 5.72 to 1. Tanaka is a workhorse with a sturdy arm, famously throwing over 160 pitches in a championship game this past November. Tanaka has earned 30 consecutive winning decisions in Japan, one of the longest winning streaks in professional baseball history.